The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicle service systems such as vehicle wheel alignment systems, vehicle wheel balancers, and vehicle tire changers which require the input of information related to a vehicle undergoing a service or a component on the vehicle, and in particular, to automotive service systems utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to directly obtain information relating to a vehicle undergoing service, or relating to a component on the vehicle, from an non-contact link embedded data storage device.
In automotive vehicle service systems and in an automotive vehicle service environments, it is routinely necessary for an operator to provide the vehicle service system with information pertaining to a vehicle undergoing service, or to a component on the vehicle, prior to or during a vehicle service procedure. Information provided to an automotive vehicle service system optionally is input manually by an operator following a visual inspection of the vehicle or component, or optionally is measured or observed by the automotive service system at the direction of an operator.
For example, an operator optionally is required to identify input vehicle make, model, and year information to a vehicle wheel alignment system, or a measurement of a vehicle wheel rim diameter is taken using a measurement arm associated with a vehicle wheel balancer system. In a vehicle wheel alignment system, an operator may be required to remove a vehicle wheel to identify the type and configuration of an installed wheel alignment adjustment component, such as a shim or bushing, or a measurement optionally is taken of the alignment effect of an installed suspension component. Similarly, an operator of a vehicle tire changer system must identify the presence of remote tire pressure sensors installed inside a vehicle wheel assembly before dismounting a tire from the wheel rim, to avoid damaging the sensors.
Traditionally, a limited amount of information related to a vehicle or component might be stored in a marking on the vehicle or component such as a machine-readable bar code which can typically hold 1 to 100 bytes of information. For example, a vehicle identification number (VIN) is often encoded in machine readable bar-code adjacent the vehicle's windshield, permitting rapid scanning and collection of the standardized information contained therein. Product parts numbers, lot number, and manufacture dates may also be stored in alpha-numeric markings or bar codes affixed to removable products, such as vehicle tires, alignment adjustment shims, suspension bushings, etc. Indications of the presence of a remote tire pressure sensor within a wheel assembly may be made by affixing a sticker or indicator mark to the wheel assembly. While providing storage for information, the use of alpha-numeric markings, indictors, or bar codes does not permit the stored information to be updated or changed, without replacing the original markings with new or altered markings. Traditional markings are also limited in the amount of information that can be stored. An additional drawback to traditional markings, indicators, and bar codes is a susceptibility to damage, loss, or degradation due to environmental exposures such as mud, road salt, and lubricants.
One alternative to alpha-numeric or bar code markings on automotive products and components are Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponders or tags, which are a form of Automatic Identification and Date Capture (AIDC) technology, sometimes referred to as Automatic Data Capture (ADC) technology. The essence of RFID technology is the ability to carry data in a suitable carrier and recover that data (read) or modify (write) it when required through a non-contact electromagnetic communications process across what is essentially an air interface.
RFID utilizes wireless radio communications to uniquely identify objects by communicating with an RFID transponder or tag 3 associated with the object and programmed with unique identifying data related to an object or component. One type of RFID transponder or tag 3, shown in FIG. 1, consists of a logic circuit 5, a semiconductor memory 7, and a radio-frequency antenna 9 configured to receive and transmit data. Numerous types and configurations of RFID transponders or tags 3 are known.
As represented in FIG. 2A, data stored in the memory of the RFID transponder or tag 3 optionally is read or modified remotely over a wireless radio communications link, i.e. an air interface, to the RFID transponder or tag 3, thereby providing features and capabilities not present with traditional bar code data storage. An RFID interrogator containing a radio frequency transmitter-receiver unit used to query an RFID transponder or tag, at an operating frequency in the range between 30 KHz to 25 GHz, and preferably in the UHF (ultra high frequency) range of 869 MHz to 928 MHz, or at 2450 MHz. The RFID interrogator optionally is disposed at a distance from the RFID transponder or tag, and moving relative thereto. The RFID transponder or tag detects the interrogating signal and transmits a response signal preferably containing encoded data stored in the semiconductor memory back to the interrogator. Such RFID transponders or tags may have a memory capacity of 16 bytes to more than 64 kilobytes, which is substantially greater than the maximum amount of data conventionally contained in a bar code marking or other type of human-readable indicia. In addition, the data stored in the RFID transponder or tag semiconductor memory optionally is re-written with new data or supplemented additional data transmitted from the RFID interrogator.
As shown in FIG. 2B, power for the data storage and logic circuits optionally is derived from an interrogating radio-frequency (RF) beam or from another power source. Power for the transmission of data can also be derived from the RF beam or taken from another power source. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,910 to Nysen, and in the publication “Understanding RFID” by Prof. Anthony Furness, a variety of RFID transponders or tags are known, such as surface acoustic wave devices, all of which provide data storage and retrieval capabilities.
One benefit of an RFID transponder or tag over an alpha-numeric marking or bar code is the use of a non-contact data link which does not require a line-of-sight between an RFID interrogator and the RFID transponder or tag. Concerns about harsh or dirty environmental conditions, such as are commonly found in automotive service environments, which restrict the use of bar codes or may obscure and degrade other markings on a product or vehicle, are not a concern with RFID transponders or tags.
An industry group referred to as the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has been working with a large number of companies to develop a standard for identifying vehicle tires in the automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) environment. One result from this group has been the development of the AIAG B-11 Tire and Wheel Label and RFID Standard, herein incorporated by reference, for read/write RFID tags installed in vehicle tires. The B-11 Standard is designed to help automate the collection of tire and wheel information and to facilitate the mounting and assembly process of tires and wheels with vehicles in the OEM production environment. The B-11 Standard sets forth data fields for use in an tire and wheel RFID transponder or tag which may include tire conicity, tire radial force data, tire imbalance data, tire serial number, and other tire related data or dimensions.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an aftermarket vehicle service system with the ability to interact directly with data stored in suitable RFID carriers associated with an automotive vehicle or vehicle component, such as a tire, via a non-contact electromagnetic communications processes across an air interface, and to utilize the stored data in one or more aftermarket vehicle service procedures.